Cafe On Main is an overrated local staple with charm that doesn't quite match the hype. The staff is genuinely great...friendly, attentive, and easily the best part of the experience. The food itself is just okay, and it often arrives at the table almost before you've even settled into your seat, which can feel more rushed than efficient. Overall, it's fine for a quick bite, but it may not live up to its reputation. read more

Went for Sunday lunch after church. Granted that's a busy time, but they were out of half the items on the menu! Ordering was challenging as a result, and our server had to keep coming back to tell us, "Oh, we're out of that too." Took forever to get our food despite our server's best efforts (she was great -- going as fast as she could, and very apologetic -- this would be a 2-star review if not for her). My meal was OK, but it seemed like others barely touched their food in my party of 7. Disappointing. read more

Went here with my fiance a while back and service was amazing. The food was also great.

I love this place! My bf and I go here regularly and they always have amazing food and service! I just wish they were open longer so I can go more! read more

FANTASTIC FOOD!!!!!!! I'm sorry a fellow Yelper had a bad time here - we LOVED it!!!! Sunday menu is awesome. Had the poppy seed chicken casserole, okra, sweet potato casserole, jalapeño corn bread, cherry cream pie - WHEW!!!! Fat kid paradise!!!!! Can't wait to go back read more

I really like cafe on main and I hate that previous reviewers didn't have a great experience. I usually eat here in Sunday's. I always get the poppyseed chicken+veggies. Literally so much food I have left overs for a meal or 2. The best thing that never fails is all the desserts that they have. The strawberry cake is sooooo good. Their staff is comprised of some younger people (most of them are my students-- I'm a high school teacher), which I think is absolutely fantastic. I love that they give them that opportunity. Usually it takes a minute to get the bill paid bc you have to pay at the register, but if you don't have 5 minutes (or less) to spare then maybe you just shouldn't go out to eat anyways? They also have a few tables outside that are covered-- they always let us bring our dog and eat our lunch out there. For Columbus-- id say the place is good. If you had a bad experience-- I recommend you try it again. Also some of the reviews from years back are from when they were under different management just FYI* read more

Not bad. Clean, wait staff was great. Food was ok. Good place for a home cooked meal. read more

Cafe On Main - My order - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Mississippi

When I first moved to Columbus, I lived doors down. I have loved this place from day one. Sadly, I've only been able to visit on Sunday's, which is still quite alright. I take my parents here every visit on their way out of town. I've taken my girlfriend once. Their hamburger steak is delicious. I've nerver had Poppyseed chicken until dining here. It's fantastic and rich. Their jalapeno corn muffins are delicious as well. Their sides though are where they shine. Their fried okra is some of the best I've ever hard, their mac and cheese is sinful. Their strawberry cake is some of the best I've ever had. I just love this place to death! If anything, I'm sad I haven't been able to dine on other days and that this is probably the only meat and three in town. read more

Them der greens were delicious, yo! Soul food that's good. You have to come a few times to work down the menu. The sweets are outta site and scrumptious. Lemon Ice Box cake is the show stopper. read more

I asked if the table had been cleaned. The server said it hadn't dried yet. We moved things around because there was a clean end. The bits of food and paper never magically evaporated. The picture is the next table over. No one ever wiped it down while we were there. I post this because there were several "available," tables per signage, but they all were poorly cleaned. This would not have been acceptable before Covid. read more

Cafe On Main - Dirty Tables - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Mississippi

Arrived at 1pm for lunch and they were already out of half the menu. Ordered what was available, and they ran out of more while I was waiting. They didn't bother to mention it until my partial order arrived at the table. Waitress seemed surprised I didn't want to try again. Bread included in price of meal was also unavailable. When I asked about it at counter while paying, owner said it was included in the price as if that justified not reducing price for something that was not offered. Not sure how this works for staying in business in the competitive restaurant environment. I consult with brands all over the country about customer service and building strong brands. Here's my free consultation - don't be so flip with your customers, or you won't have any. I've reviewed your reviews on several platforms, and I see this is a common theme. Your food is good, but this is no way to treat customers, and they won't put up with it. I b know I won't. read more

Really good food. I've liked everything I've gotten there. The okra is almost as good as my grandma's. Make sure to budget a lot of time to go here, even to go, or ask about what will be quickest. The burger is huge and amazing, but it takes a lot of time to get. Same goes for the okra. So, make sure you either ask, or have at least 30 minutes to wait, after you order. The line gets long too, because the food is amazing. Edit: I got the chicken and dumplings with sweet potato and roll today. Within 15 minutes of placing my order, I was back at the office, clocked in, and working. read more

Cafe On Main - This looks like an entrance, right? Huge awning? Yeah. No. It isn't. The entrance is the other door, to the right of that door. - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Mississippi

Southern style food with homemade desserts that are out of this world! They also have juicy hamburgers and sliders that are amazing! Their salads are also very good and the chicken salad is my favorite! I love their jalapeño cornbread and fried catfish also! read more

Great desserts, so so average sunday meal. just go to kroger and pick up some canned goods.

Different style of eating - only a few entrees and you circle what you want on a paper menu. Had the grilled chicken and mashed potatoes with cornbread. I enjoyed the flavor and went all-in with the Oreo ice cream cake for dessert. Yum!! read more

Best spot in Columbus, MS for coffee. Their sweet potato muffins and sausage muffins are to die for!

While visiting Columbus, we tried the Cafe on Main, and it was fantastic! The environment was relaxing and sweet, and the food was delicious. My husband and I both got burgers and fried pickles, and we were impressed. The beef patty was quality, and the toppings were tasty. And those fried pickles! Maybe the best fried pickles I've ever had. My other food side was candied yams, and it was also very tasty. If you're in the area, definitely worth the stop if you want a good burger and some classic southern side dishes. read more

Granted, I'm fairly new to the South, but I happened across Cafe on Main one Sunday and thought it was fantastic. The service was excellent and the waiter, a relative to the owner, was cheery and helpful. Price is good for the portions and the deserts are excellent. The main seating area is very well naturally lit from large panes of glass facing Main Street, giving it a great ambiance. On Sundays it is generally populated by families after church services in their Sunday best, but normally dress is casual. Excellent choice for good ol' fashioned Southern food and desserts. read more

The sweet potato casserole is a must. I had a meat and vegetable plate. I would be interested to try the Angus burger and think I will next time. If they make it with sugar its good. read more

Cafe On Main - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Mississippi

This is an awesome place for lunch!! If you're by yourself or with a big group you will all find what you're looking for and have fast friendly service. The best part is the price. Easily one of the best priced eateries I've ever been to. Sad thing is they are only open for lunch read more

Cafe On Main - Burger/slider menu - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Mississippi

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I used to enjoy eating here, but the quality of food has gone way down. All of the vegetables taste like they were just dumped out of a can. If I'm going out to eat, I want fresh vegetables. I can open a can at home. read more

Really enjoyed the hamburger. Seasoned well and the toasted sour dough bun was amazing. Also enjoyed the fried pickles. They are thin, lightly breaded and just delicious read more

I've only eaten here once, but I really enjoyed it. I chose the meat and two sides option and had grilled chicken with fried okra and steamed cabbage. Everything was good, and I had gone with the lighter option for lunch because I was going to have one of the amazing desserts. The food was very good, hot and seasoned well. I ordered the Coca Cola cake for dessert and it was wonderful. It took me several days to actually finish it, but it was sooo good. I was with a group of about twenty and everyone's order was right and the wait was not long at all. The only issue was paying, but I'm assuming that it was a bit complicated with such a large group. All in all, I really enjoyed it and plan to visit again. Desserts are amazing! read more

"It wasn't horrible." Is about the best I could say when we left the restaurant. When you go in, you circle what you want on a piece of paper and the wait staff will come by and pick it up. I ordered the salmon croquettes with turnip greens and black eyed peas. The greens and peas were way to salty, and while my croquette had good flavor, it was cold. It also was extra greasy, as if the fryer oil wasn't warm enough. Our waitress wasn't good, though not rude. She only refilled our drinks once, even though I spent most of my meal with an empty glass. I can understand it's appeal, but it's just not for me. read more

This place makes you feel like you are in the south with layout and prices (the food is dirt cheap) Beware of their menu they run out of things fast and todays food menu won't be the same as tomorrows. I find their food to be inconsistant in quality and quantity. I went with a friend for the first time and had the fried fish with hush puppies and they were delicious so good I took my husband their a few days later thats when I found out the menu changes and so does the quality of their food. I had the lasagna and lets just say that greasy mess would make any Italian cry. I also found that their waitresses don't get a salary at all they live on the tips so if you go and they do a good job keep that in mind. read more

Stellar locals only haunt with great food - when you roll thru Columbus, this is where to go for an awesome burger. They will cook it like you want it and have never failed to get me HOT fries. Yum Yum! read more

Horrible service, mediocre food. Took 15 minutes for anyone to even acknowledge me, then another 20 before anyone asked if I had gotten my food (I hadn't). The setup is weird - there's a laminated menu on the table and a bunch of paper menus - I tried asking the waitress for something on the laminated menu, but she acted like she didn't comprehend and made me circle what I wanted on the paper menu. Paper menu is not the same as laminated. Then, one of my sides never made it with my dish. They were short-staffed on this day, apparently, but it seemed everyone around me was getting what they needed. The food isn't even that great, so I definitely won't bother stopping here again. read more

Beef soup was missing the beef, chicken was raw inside only the batter was cooked. However the server was very nice and didn't charge me for the meal. I was really hungry, but couldn't eat the food. read more

Nothing good about it. It was so crowded we couldn't move but I assure you that it was not because the food was great. The lack of anywhere to eat in Columbus, MS for Sunday lunch is the reason for the hordes of people. Anyway, I was with a large group and there were no rave reviews. My food was piled all together on the plate in a mish mash of mush....yuck. Also VERY RUDE STAFF. We almost got up and left because, in addition to being crammed in like sardines, our waitress was so hostile. Alas, the aforementioned problem of nowhere else to eat on Sunday afternoon reared its ugly head so we stayed and withstood the abuse. I was with out of town guests and was totally embarrassed. I WILL NEVER GO THERE AGAIN. read more

We stopped in to Cafe on Main during the Market Street Festival to enjoy the A/C and a place to sit. The atmosphere is cute. Almost like you're sitting at an outdoor cafe. Ordering is done by way of menu cards that you fill out. You choose the entree and the number of sides from the list. It comes with a roll or cornbread and sweet or unsweet tea or water included. They were pretty busy from all the bustle of the festival, so there was some confusion among the staff over who had 'jurisdiction' over our table, and whether or not we had been helped. I won't fault them because it was pretty crazy. Even with all that, our food came out VERY quickly. This seems like a perfect place if you need a quick meal on a 1hr lunch break. The food was alright. Nothing to blow me away, but it was cheap considering how much you got. I got a chicken fried steak, potatoes, green beans, and cornbread for $8.25 with an ice water (it was pretty warm outside and I was super dehydrated!). The food seemed lukewarm, like it had been under a heat lamp a while, or it was sitting and waiting or my husband's food to be ready. We likely got the tail end of what they had, since they serve lunch til 3:30 and we walked in at 3pm. The desserts looked spectacular. I think that's their true strong suit. Sadly, we were already sugared out from the fair, and very full. So that will have to be a different visit. Overall, decent priced food if you're in a rush downtown. read more

Cafe on Main is your quintessential, southern-style, meat and three dining establishment. My personal favorite is their chicken spaghetti and all of the fried vegetable sides of course! I would also be remiss if I did not mention their to-die-for desserts...the pies and cakes are out of this world fantastic! It's a great little place to stop by for lunch! read more

I was expecting a lot more for the food, food was cold and not tasty at all. The place was decent in regards of cleanliness and staff courtesy, but again for the price range I was expecting a little more. Overall, not bad, but wouldn't go back. read more

Nice place very down home southern hospitality. Busy place very fast service very friendly staff. Will go bavk

I am a local citizen and I have been eating here for years. Unfortunately, their food hasn't been good lately. This really breaks my heart because I enjoyed their lemon ice box cake. read more

If you want really good home cooked food this is the place to go. It stays packed for a reason. This is good country food at its finest. You have to try their chicken spaghetti and their dressing. They certainly know how to make dressing. This is a great place to go for after church lunch. If you leave here hungry, that is all your fault. You might want a nap after you eat. LOL read more

Great place for lunch....Food is excellent and the servers are the BEST....Upscale atmosphere with a warm family feel.

food prices keep going up and the quality of the food is going down. the service is sad as an empty beer on a friday night.

Ok will let you all decide.. Stopped there to eat (first time ever) it was at 1:50pm they closed at 2pm... Got a table.. had to get a high chair had to find one myself, sat down at the table. picked up tw papers that were on the table thinking they were menus they werent.. (as told to us by a server) then we waited almost ten minutes for the servers (2) to mark out the items on their paper menus that they didnt have. he gave us the paper menus sans the marked out items which didnt leave much else to choose from but anyways took our drink order several minutes later brought our drinks then took our order.. then ten minutes or so later the waiter came back to our table to inform us that he could not take our orders due to the fact that they had already shut down the grill. So we left.. Now i dont know about you but if for some reason they shut the grill down early that should have been made known right away.. but hey im old fashioned like that. I informed the owner that this was the first and last time that I would ever be a patron of their establishment.. and that i dont care if a patron comes in 2 minutes before you close you should wait on the patron.. i for one could care less if this establishment stays open or if they close obviously they have enough business to worry about one customer ... we will see. Take a look at their menu and think about what happened to me... You be the Judge read more

Three coworkers and I went there last week and two of us ordered the vegetable plate and two had the catfish. Everything would have been fine except the plates that they serve the vegetable bowls on was too small and the server inadvertently spilled a hot bowl of green beans on my coworker's lap and scalded her. The server was terribly upset and got the manager. My coworker was in the bathroom when the manager showed up at our table and said that they would deduct the green beans from her ticket, which was about $2. We explained that the green beans ruined her clothes and scalded her but to no avail of the cafe comping her check. My coworker had to go to the bathroom again when to try to clean her clothes again and check her burns because they were becoming painful. I took her check to the counter where the manager was and explained that she was in a lot of pain and she said that she would deduct another 10% which wouldn't even cover the tip. I don't fault the server because it was an honest mistake, but they should have not made us pay for my coworker's check. It's was only about $7, but it's a small amount that could have shown their regret for scalding their customers. I for one will not be going back. read more

Cafe on Main is an excellent institution, if you know when to go. During the peak lunch hours, they are always packed due to their location and their food. While I have had poor service occasionally, on average their service is excellent. The owner will even come around and chat with you once in a while. As for the food, exquisite when it's fresh, wonderful when it's not. While not true home cooking, as it's not a house, it's the closest possible if you want to pay money. read more